The heat of autumn

秋天的暑气

is different from the heat of summer.

和夏日的不同。

One ripens apples, the other turns them to cider.

前者催熟苹果，后者把苹果变成酒浆。

One is a dock you walk out on,

前者是你可以漫步的栈桥，

the other the spine of a thin swimming horse

后者是游泳的瘦马的脊背

and the river each day a full measure colder.

而河水每天都会降温整整一度。

A man with cancer leaves his wife for his lover.

一个得了癌症的男人离开妻子去找他的情人。

Before he goes she straightens his belts in the closet,

在他走之前她拉直他衣橱里的腰带，

rearranges the socks and sweaters inside the dresser

根据颜色整理袜子

by color. That’s autumn heat:

和汗衫。这就是秋天的暑气：

her hand placing silver buckles with silver,

她的手把银色的皮带扣和银色的放在一起，

gold buckles with gold, setting each

金色的和金色的凑成一堆，让它们

on the hook it belongs on in a closet soon to be empty,

在衣钩上各就其位，虽然这个衣橱很快就会空空如也，

and calling it pleasure.

她说自己乐在其中。